European natural gas prices eased as traders weighed a mild weather outlook and high inventories against the potential impact of a widening of the war in the Middle East. Futures for December delivery fell as much as 4.9%, after closing Monday little changed. The escalation of the conflict has led to several weeks of sharp swings in intraday trading, with prices now about 20% higher than they were before Hamas’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Europe’s energy supplies are on far more stable footing than they were at the peak of last year’s energy crisis, with stockpiles on the continent almost full and consumption still ... (full story)